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Paige Ramer, coach for Oak Park’s cheer and stunt teams, will be leaving the program after the current season, in order to pursue a career as a special education teacher.

A new cheer coach, John Lopez, has been hired for the upcoming 2017-2018 school year.

“For me, growing up, education wasn’t always that easy; it was something that I struggled with and I really empathize with the kids that it doesn’t seem easy to [either],” Ramer said.

“I want to continue my dream of being a special education teacher and I don’t think I can do both cheer and becoming a teacher at the same time,” Ramer said.

Ramer has been an OPHS cheer coach for the past seven years. Through the years, many of Ramer’s cheerleaders have come to see her as a great coach and friend.

“Over this last year, [Ramer] has become a friend and she’s someone that’s easy to talk to. It’s going to be different having a new coach come in that we’re not really used to, but it’s something that I think is going to help us in the long run, even after I graduate high school,” sophomore and cheerleader Raven Tikka said.

“

I just hope that they know in them that they’re capable of anything and they are super confident and strong women that can go out there and do whatever they want to do.”

— Paige Ramer

Hannah Hale, sophomore and cheerleader, said that she was inspired by Ramer’s determination and steady mindset.

“[Ramer] was a really big impact on me because she’s shown me that if you work really hard for something that you want to do, then you can do whatever you want,” Hale said. “Her dream was to be a coach, but her goal is to be a teacher.”

Hailey Preston, senior and stunt team captain, has known Ramer since childhood. The two braved challenges together — particularly, through reading tongue-twisters.

“I remember when [Ramer] used to babysit me and I forced her to read the Dr. Seuss book, ‘Oh Say Can You Say,’ and I used to make her read it because I knew she couldn’t get through it without stumbling,” Preston said.

Ramer said that, despite the changes that will take place on the cheer and stunt teams, she hopes their members will continue to grow in talent as a team and as individuals.

“I just hope that they know in them that they’re capable of anything and they are super confident and strong women that can go out there and do whatever they want to do,” Ramer said. “I just hope that I instilled that in them.”